


Training Incident

by Somniare



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: M/M, Minor Injuries, Not Canon Compliant, little white lie - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-29
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-27 07:50:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2684996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somniare/pseuds/Somniare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Ah, James…”  Innocent stared in concern.  “What happened to you?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Training Incident

**Author's Note:**

> With thanks to paperscribe for the beta. 
> 
> It has been tweaked since its return. All mistakes, etc, are mine. They are the only things I own.

 

* * *

 

James heard the click of heels against the floor and steeled himself for the inevitable.  Innocent’s head popped around the door frame.

“Ah, James…”  Innocent stared in concern.  “What happened to you?”

James touched the now purple lump on his forehead as he dropped into his chair.  The scabbed, thin cut bisecting the bruise was rough under his fingers.  Once again he was thankful stitches hadn’t been necessary.  “Jack,” he finally said.  _Let her make of that what she will._

“Jack?”  James nodded.  “Jack who?  Did you report the assault to anyone?”

“Erm... it wasn’t an assault, ma’am... not exactly.  It was, ah… an accident.”

“You don’t sound very sure?”

“I am, ma’am.  It was an accident,” he said firmly, not quite meeting her eye.  A lie by omission was still a lie, but if it was a white lie it didn’t really count, did it?  James crossed his fingers under the desk for good measure.

Innocent frowned, obviously not buying completely into his explanation – or lack thereof.  “I don’t really want to know what happened, do I, James?

 _Great.  She probably thinks…_   James sighed.  _I’ve got no idea what she’s thinking._   “Not really, ma'am.”

“Good morning, ma'am.”  Lewis breezed into the office, coffees in hand.  James sank slightly into his chair in relief.

“Welcome back, Robbie.”  Innocent smiled at Lewis as he handed one of the cups to James.  “Have a nice break?”

“Yes, thank you, ma'am.”

“Glad one of you did.”

“Sorry, ma'am?”

“It would appear Sergeant Hathaway's week off was rather more eventful.”  She pointed at James who looked straight at Lewis.

“Right.  That,” Lewis said.  James could see Lewis's amusement in the tiny crinkle at the outer corners of his eyes, and he hoped Innocent wouldn’t pick up on it.

There was a long pause.  “You were aware of this, Robbie?”

“I might have heard a thing or two during the week.”

Innocent’s gaze moved between both men.  “Is there something I need to know about, gentlemen?”

James kept his face as neutral as he could.  Innocent hadn’t made Chief Super by being unobservant and slow on the uptake.

“Not sure what you mean, ma'am,” Lewis said, looking deceptively blank.

“Never mind,” Innocent said, shaking her head slightly.  “Good day, gentlemen.”

James and Lewis stared at each other in silence until Innocent's footsteps had faded.

Lewis shut the door, and then sat on the edge of James’s desk.  He reached across and lightly traced the cut with his fingertip.  “How did you explain this?” he asked softly.

“I didn’t.  Not really.  Wasn’t quite sure how to without… you know… and I’m still a bit embarrassed about it to be honest.”

“No-one to blame but yourself, you know.  Our Lyn–”

“–warned me; so you’ve reminded me at least half a dozen times,” James murmured.

“It’s more than that though, isn’t it?  It’s not as though Innocent’d tease you endlessly about it – not like some of the others around here might.”

“I didn’t want her to ask why I was up in Manchester with you.  She’s sharp, and I knew whatever reason I gave her she’d see through it to the truth.”

Robbie nodded slowly.  “Fair enough.  She is going to find out one day though.”

“I know, but for now I’d rather it was a family secret.”

“Which part?”  Lewis smiled fondly.  “You and me being together, or the fact that me grandson gave you mild concussion?”

James cringed at the reminder of his injury.  “Preferably both… for a little while longer at least, though if the latter never gets out I’ll be very happy.”

Robbie chuckled and touched James’s forehead again.  “Lyn’s not going to let you forget that in a hurry.  Don’t be surprised if she’s already planned out the page for Jack’s photo album: ‘The Day Jack Trained Uncle James’.”

James would have scowled if he thought the lump on his head wouldn’t hurt if he did.  “Is that why she wanted to take the photos?”

Lewis nodded as the grin spread across his face.  “What did you think they were for?  She’s right into that scrapbooking business.”  James groaned softly.  “I'm sorry, pet, but it _was_ your own fault,” Lewis said more gently.  “That last night… Tim pointed out Jack was going through the ‘Terrible Twos’, and Lyn specifically warned you he was very protective of his Thomas the Tank Engine, and that it’d be best not to touch it just in case it set him off.  None of us would have ever expected Jack to throw Percy at you, though; Lyn and Mark usually just threw tantrums at that age, though Lyn once threw a teddy at her mum.  It was just unfortunate for you Percy was close at hand.”

James sighed and touched the lump on his forehead.  “You’re right, and I suppose it could have been worse.”

“How so?”

“Gordon’s bigger.”

Lewis roared with laughter and James soon joined in.


End file.
